The Gentleman from Indiana

Booth Tarkington’s first novel introduces John Harkless, an idealistic young man who buys a struggling newspaper in the sleepy town of Plattville, Indiana, and sets out to make something of it. His honesty earns him friends and dangerous enemies alike, including a violent gang that runs the surrounding county, and his crusading editorials put his life at risk. Along the way he loses his heart to a woman who arrives quietly in town. Published in 1899, the book launched Tarkington’s long career and captured the humor, politics, and neighborly texture of small Midwestern life. It remains a warm and readable portrait of a place and time. This free PDF and EPUB edition contains the complete novel.